About the Setter
David Stickley has been writing crosswords professionally since 1995. His cryptic puzzle, The Stickler, reached number 4786 before being axed in July 2013 due to cutbacks. David has been published in the NYT and the UK's FT.-
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Tag Archives: solution
The Stickler Weekly 33 Solution
As a setter, I make it my business to keep track of what’s happening in the world of crosswords. This means visiting other setters’ websites, solving various crosswords and reading crossword blogs. We don’t host many of these in Australia, … Continue reading
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The Stickler Weekly 32 Solution
A few weeks ago an old Stickler clue turned up on the newsgroup, rec.puzzles.crosswords (rpc). The thread is here. The clue was: Treat containing cold centre is special (4-3). The solver had the answer CHO(C)-ICE, but wondered whether the phrasing … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 31 Solution
In the recent Crossword Unclued interview, I mentioned a crossword program, Crossword Compiler (CC), which I have used for almost 20 years. There are other crossword programs out there, but apart from some assessment in the early days, I’m not … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 30 Solution
I was recently interviewed by an excellent cryptic crossword blog called Crossword Unclued. You can find the interview here. We covered a whole range of topics, but the focus was on life as a professional full-time setter and how I’d … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 29 Solution
The humble double-definition clue in some ways defines what cryptic crosswords are all about (two distinct paths to the answer), but in other ways is nothing like a typical cryptic clue. Let me explain. It’s very tempting to cite double … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 28 Solution
Last December I had the privilege of showing a prominent UK setter, Don Manley, around Sydney. Don and his wife, Sue, were special guests at the Australian Crossword Club‘s annual get-together at the Harold Park Hotel. Don has written crosswords … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 27 Solution
During my time as a professional crossword setter I’ve been interviewed by newspapers and radio hosts many times. Sometimes it’s as a result of a crossword making the news in some way, but mostly it’s a media person who thinks … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 26 Solution
What do you think solvers complain about the most when it comes to cryptic crosswords? Obscure words? They are up there. Imprecise definitions? No-one is happy with these. Extraneous words? Less and less so. What about poor grid design? Almost … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 25 Solution
It’s normal for new setters to mimic elements of the crosswords they solve the most, especially those crosswords appearing in major newspapers. They assume this is an acceptable approach as major publications would have style guides, editors, checkers etc to … Continue reading
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Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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The Stickler Weekly 24 Solution
Recently I asked if people could spot what I DON’T DO in my crosswords. (My list covers the whole cryptic crossword spectrum, including the entire crossword, grid, types of clues and devices.) One poster suggested that I didn’t seem to … Continue reading
Posted in Stickler Weekly Solutions, The Stickler
Tagged cryptic crossword, solution, The Stickler
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